Black Sunshine
by LittleMissNinetiesBitch
Summary: Veronica Swan is the little sister of Bella. Bella makes a decision (starting in Twilight) that forces her to move to Forks. She has to endure vamps, her annoyingly perfect stick in the mud older sister and then to top it off, she becomes an imprint (to the sexy Embry Call).. This is her version of the events in Twilight (it's au, duh)
1. Chapter 1

**A LITTLE NOTE ABOUT BLACK SUNSHINE:**

Okay, so this starts out in the first book of the Twilight series. I'm not sure if I'll do the entire four books in one story or break them down into smaller ones yet. I haven't read the books or seen the movies in almost 2 years so bare with me. And yes, it is a sis fic. And yes, there **will** be changes.

Also, I'm **taking pairing suggests** for my OC, Veronica, who is Bella's younger sister. **SHIFTERS ONLY (because I fucking hate 90 percent of the vampires)**.. Surprise me. * choices are Embry, Jacob, Paul*

Also, I wanna note this. Veronica is **not ALWAYS** this bitchy. She's just still pissed at Bella for uprooting them without really discussing it with her first. And she and Bella do not get along, at all. More on that in future chapters. BELLA BASHING. HEAVY BELLA -and Edward, I hated that snarky son of a bitch, really- BASHING.)

Chapter One

_home sweet home, pt I_

"And this place is definitely the town that time forgot." Veronica muttered from the back seat of her father's patrol car while punching the back of the front passenger seat that her older sister Bella sat in, glaring at Bella when Bella looked up and their eyes met in the reflection of the passenger side window's mirror.

"It'll be nice to have both of you living with me." Charlie said as he looked at his daughters and smiled. He'd been pleasantly surprised when Renee told him that the girls wanted to move in with him after she'd married Phil recently and began the process of moving to Florida.

Veronica thought to herself momentarily _'What you really mean, father, is that it'll be nice to have Bella here. I'm just an afterthought like usual. But hey, I don't care anymore. Just wish everyone would stop trying to bullshit, stop pretending to give a shit about me cause they only care about her.' _as she nodded and kept her mouth shut, worked instead on reapplying her cotton candy flavored lip gloss and fixing her hair again.

Bella rolled her eyes at her little sister. She knew Veronica was annoyed at the decision she'd made to move them in with their father, but she really just felt like they should spend more time with him. They'd lived with Renee for over half their lives. And she was doing this, whether Veronica realized it or not, for Veronica's own good. Because she hated the friends Veronica was running with. Renee always insisted Bella butt out but Bella had this feeling that if something wasn't done soon, Veronica could get into serious trouble with the people she tended to gravitate towards.

Her baby sister was changing and Bella didn't like it.

They'd never really gotten along but in the past year or so, it'd gotten progressively worse. To the point that Bella thought that maybe Veronica actually did hate her. Their mother said she didn't, didn't seem to notice how Veronica acted out and like a bitch most of the time. If Bella mentioned it, Renee told her it was just a sullen teenager thing.

That Bella had evidently skipped going through and she was thankful for it.

"Is anyone hungry?" Charlie asked as the car's oppressive silence started to get to him. Bella kept looking out the window, Veronica continued to reapply her makeup and finally, Charlie broke the silence and asked in an authoratative voice, "What's going on with you two. Neither of you have said a word to each other since I picked you up a few days ago."

"Ask her." Veronica said as she glared at Bella and proceeded to punch the back of the seat Bella sat in, smirking a little when it jarred her older sister. Bella swore under her breath and then said quietly, "She's pissed, Charlie. She wanted to go to Florida. I told her we were moving here and that was final. Because if she keeps running around with those idiots she calls friends, she's gonna wind up dead, in jail or pregnant at 17. And Renee doesn't seem to notice the little things she does. But I do. And I care. So I fixed it." with a solemn look in her eyes.

Veronica wanted more than anything to reach around the seat and choke the life out of her older sister, really. The smarmy look, the condescending way she spoke to her most of the time, the way everybody preferred 'perfect goody two shoes little Bella' over her.

She couldn't date a decent guy that she really liked, nooo.. She'd tried that one time. Silas broke up with her and then proceeded to get a crush on her older sister. She couldn't do her own thing in school because if she did something she'd always hear 'Bella didn't do that' or 'Bella can help you, she's smart' and naturally, that implied, to Veronica, that Bella was better than her in every way possible.

That no matter what she did or said, no matter how good she tried to be, she'd never measure up to her sister. Ever.

So she'd snapped about 2 years ago and she'd quit trying so damn hard. Now she was the family fuck up for lack of a better word. Nobody expected good things out of her, nobody really gave her much thought.

Anything bad she did (for attention, ironically) was written off as "That's just how Veronica is" or "She tried, she just can't do that."

Sometimes it was enough to make her want to tear her hair out and scream.. Or stab her sister in her sleep.

But she reminded herself that she only had 3 more years left and she'd finally be her own god damn person. She'd finally be able to go off alone, make her own way in life. And then she'd do something so fucking awesome that when she came home to show them they'd all feel infinitely sorry they'd written her off.

Or at least that's how her fantasies often went. When they weren't filled with the usual teenage girl stuff like Jensen Ackles or who she'd go to prom with, how far she'd let a boy go before getting nervous and bailing..

"She doesn't care. She's just jealous, sir, because I don't have a stick up my ass. She didn't have a life in Phoenix, sir and I did. And now she's gone and ruined it, naturally, because God forbid I have friends and stuff." Veronica said calmly as Bella glared at her sister when she shifted to the side to peer around the seat at her.

"None of that, Veronica, is true. And those friends? That life you're so proud of? You were heading down the wrong path. Even Renee thought so, obviously, or you wouldn't be in this car. You'd have pitched your usual fit, Veronica, until you got to move to Florida with them."

Charlie sighed heavily and shook his head. Evidently this wasn't going to be the happy easy time he'd originally hoped for. The girls had major issues, they always had. He'd yet to understand them but they were there, lurking, and they ran deeper than most issues should.

_At least they weren't ignoring them anymore_, he thought bitterly as he drove into the town of Forks and parked on the curb in front of the small 2 story white house with dark greenish gray shutters and a greenish gray front door.

Maybe with them both here and under his roof, they could all work towards being a family again. The three of them got out of the car and walked quietly into the house. And Charlie said once they were inside, "I'm not gonna make many rules. I trust you, both of you," he said as he held his youngest daughter's gaze for a moment when he said this, "to use your better judgement about things. But if you do mess up, there will be consequences. And we are going to fix whatever is going on between the two of you.. Starting with the two of you sharing a vehicle. Bella can take you to school with her, Veronica."

"What? Charlie, no..." Veronica exploded. But the firm look in the man's eyes, the silencing raised hand had her grumbling and biting her lower lip, swearing mentally.

Someone up there really had it in for her, apparently.

They went up to their rooms and Veronica had just gotten settled into hers when Bella knocked on the bathroom door that connected their rooms together, stepped in a few seconds later.

"I'm sorry. But it had to be done."

"It didn't have to be done, Bella. You are not my mother. It's not your place to decide things like this. If I wanna mess up my life, sit back and let me. I don't butt into yours, do I?" Veronica insisted as Bella sighed and shook her head solemnly.

"If you'd loosen up a little, Bella.. You might realize that the stuff I do? Nearly every other teenage girl in the world does too. You're the one with the fucking problem. I mean we're not adults. We're supposed to be having the time of our lives right now. Not being perfect and making everyone else around us miserable because of it." Veronica said as she changed from what she'd been wearing in the car into a mini skirt, over the knee boots and a black tube top.

"Where in the hell are you going?"

"I 'm going out, Bella. And if you're smart you won't wait up for me." Veronica said as she slid the bedroom window opened, set about shimmying down the rose trellis on the side of the house. Bella could stay in all she wanted.

Veronica fully intended to explore, see what she couldn't get herself into tonight.

After all, it's not like anybody would notice she'd slipped out for a few hours, right? If her sister didn't tattle on her, of course, Bella was always such an overdramatic and whiny tattletale. She never let Veronica have any sort of actual fun.

She never lived her own life either.

_Maybe if she weren't such a sour stick in the mud_, Veronica mused to herself as she slunk down the sidewalk and off of their little block onto the next one..

The moon in the dark sky above was full and bright and the air held that perfect degree of chill in it. Tonight was a great night to get out and get into something.

Somehow, though, Veronica found herself doubting Forks was the place to do it in..

She'd just walk a few hours and sneak back in, no big deal.

But the howl of a nearby wolf in the woods made her hair stand on end. T hen a smirk curved full heart shaped lips as she saw lights, cars and heard music blaring.. She'd found her first house party.. This could get fun.

She ducked inside just as the wolf howled a second time. And a slow, sensual shiver ran up her spine at the sound of the howl.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

about a week later, the saturday **AFTER** the events of Twilight begin

_i hear it every day, i hear it all the time, i'm never gonna amount to much but they're never gonna change my mind_

"Are you insane? It's 3 am. Where have you been, Veronica? You reek of vodka." Bella complained in an annoyed whisper as she stepped into Veronica's room to help her insane sister through the bedroom window at 3 am. If she hadn't, her sister would've woken the dead down in the yard below with her shouting. She steadied Veronica who glared at her, stepped back and snapped curtly, "I only had.. I only had 's much." her words slurred as she held up her thumb and index finger then burst into a giggling fit that made Bella clamp her hand over Veronica's mouth and glare at her.

She was not amused by Veronica's antics tonight, not at all. She'd been trying to sleep, she hadn't been able, especially when Veronica was down in the yard below after she arrived back home, making a scene loud enough to raise the dead. _Lucky for Veronica_, Bella mused internally, _their father, Charlie slept like the dead_.

Bella grumbled and went to Veronica's wardrobe which sat in the corner of the room next to an overfilled with makeup vanity table and digging through the top drawer, she found a pajama set. "And it's nights like this I wonder just how in the hell you make it home." she said as she held out the pajama set to her sister who gave her yet another dirty look before paling, then going green in the face, clamping her hand over her mouth and bolting past Bella and into the bathroom.

The white wooden door banged lightly shut behind her and Bella paced the room and glared at the door. Veronica did this a lot, it really annoyed Bella. But she had to give her baby sister credit. For all the wildness she got up to, not once had Veronica's grades actually dropped below at least a C. She wasn't some bundle of problems.

Veronica was just a girl who liked her fun and she liked it a little too much. She loved doing risky things and it scared the living hell out of Bella, who'd obviously never tried taking a risk before in her entire life. The riskiest thing she'd done to date, was actually moving them here, to stay with their father.

Because if Renee and Phil were going on the road, Bella was **not** going to spend her nights babysitting and worrying over her little sister when she pulled stunts like this. She'd been the adult one enough, obviously Renee couldn't be bothered to set rules and boundaries. So Bella usually wound up giving Veronica her lectures when she acted out.. Because Renee never seemed to see any actual problem in Veronica's behavior.

The shower in the bathroom came on and Bella rolled her eyes. _Like it wouldn't be obvious to their father_, she thought to herself while standing in her baby sister's room, _if he happened to wake up and hear the damned shower running at 3 am almost._

She went to the bathroom door, knocked persistantly until the door was thrown open by Veronica who was sporting a hot pink and black damask towel and a sheepish grin. And now, here it came.. Veronica was in charmer mode.

This was never a good thing. Bella couldn't resist the way her sister did this, either. She'd do something bad, Bella would reprimand her and she'd pout and pull the guilt card. And Bella would feel bad for getting on her sister's case.

"Not this time, Veronica.. If you sneak out again, I will be telling Charlie." Bella said as Veronica pouted. The pout wasn't working tonight so as soon as she realized this, the pout disappeared and Veronica rolled her eyes, annoyed as she stepped into the room and said "Whatever, fine."

"I mean it, Veronica. You're only sixteen. No sense in rushing to become an adult, or worse, rushing to an early grave." Bella lectured. Veronica ignored her, of course. "Fine.. You're only gonna ignore every single thing I say, Veronica, so I'm going to bed now. I just.. I wish you'd see that we do care." Bella explained solemnly as she shut the door to the bathroom that seperated off their bedrooms behind her firmly when she walked out.

"It was one fucking night. She acts as if I do this every single night of the week or something. At least when I look back on my life.. I'll have lived." Veronica muttered in slight annoyance as she flopped back onto her bed after she'd dressed for sleep.

She flopped across her bed and wiggled her way beneath the covers, trying to settle down and get to sleep for the night. She'd just really started to drift off when she heard it again. It sent shivers down her arms and she sat up, unamused frown on her face as she pulled back the curtains that hung on the window just above her bed. Raising up slightly in the bed she peered down into the darkened woods just outside the fence.

It almost seemed, sometimes, as if the wolf was following her or something, as she typically heard it when she was out or off on her own or something. In some strange way it was both comforting and mildly unsettling, almost as if the wolf were trying to communicate something through those howls it gave off.

Like it was trying to show her that no matter how alone she felt.. She wasn't actually alone.

And she wasn't entirely sure if she were comfortable with having a wolf as a potential stalker or not.

* * *

><p>Down in the darkened woods, the shifter paced a grouping of trees. This whole being a wolf thing was new to him. All he knew was that basically right now he was the most alone in things he'd ever felt in his life. He couldn't tell his best friends what he was now, so he'd been avoiding them. He was constantly in trouble for it at home too.<p>

And then Officer Swan had bought his two teenage daughters from Phoenix to live here in Forks, just a few miles shy of the res. And that's when the shifter had learned about imprinting, just how very real it was.

He hadn't really told anyone yet, but it'd happened to him already. Her name was Veronica and she was the baby sister of Bella Swan, a girl he barely knew. She used to hang around when they were all younger and Veronica had too.

Thing of it was that Veronica was kind of hell on heels now, from the looks of it. He'd seen her sneaking in and out of the house at least four times in the few days they'd been living at their dad's place. He'd followed her that first night, just overwhelmed by what had happened to him. She'd boldly marched right into a house party about a block over from the Swan's house, not bothering to let the fact that she knew nobody in the town of Forks stop her from doing it.

He wasn't exactly like that. He was more of a keep to yourself kind of person. He was quiet most of the time, he didn't exactly do the whole parties thing. And naturally, he'd went and imprinted on a girl who apparently lived for a good time.

_'did she really have to wear that dress though? Or those stilettos?' _the shifter thought to himself as he sat on a fallen tree trunk in his human form as soon as another pack member bought him his clothing since his patrol duties were finished for the night.

"You okay man?" his pack mate asked as he looked up and shook his head. "Just trying to figure out how exactly this imprint thing will work. I mean Sam said he hasn't ever heard of one being rejected but that Emily did try and it almost killed him.. I mean what if she meets me and she hates me or something?"

"Dude.. Don't be such a girl, okay? You're pretty awesome. If Kim liked a jerk like me, man, trust me.. She'll eat out of your hand. Just be yourself if and when you finally meet her." Jared told the newest pack member as he looked up at the second story of the white house the other guy's imprint, a girl named Veronica Swan, lived in. He nodded to a window and with a smirk said "She looked out here when you howled just now, Casanova.. C'mon.. Let's go back to the res.. Emily was making chocolate chip pancakes now and I'm freaking starved."

The other male stared intently at the house his imprint lived in. She'd looked out the window and he'd missed seeing her. Typical of his luck.

"Yeah, let's go. And not a word about this to Sam, okay? He's already mad enough that I can't stop showing up out here when I'm supposed to be on patrol."


	3. Chapter 3

**{ I hug you, lilsis, for your review. Like seriously, you have no idea. Soon as you suggested Embry, the story sort of took on a whole other level! I'm gonna go with Embry and I thank you forever for your compliments and your suggestion, I also thank you for taking the time to read my story too! And to my followers and favoriters too! Love you all}**

Chapter Three

a** few days** after the events of the previous chapter, the day Bella goes to First Beach with Jacob.

_his eyes see right to my soul, i lose all control_

"Oh come on, seriously? You're not going to go just because that creepy freak doesn't get out?" Veronica begged her older sister as they walked across the parking lot towards the truck. For once, it wasn't exactly raining. B_ella was in a weird mood,_ Veronica noticed, _but then again, if she'd almost been ran over in the school parking lot by a guy who couldn't drive to save his pathetic life, she'd be a little weird too._

"He's not a creepy freak. He saved my life. He's a nice guy." Bella tried explaining again, but she wound up rolling her eyes and leaving her thought unsaid completely when she realized that as usual, Veronica was tuning her tended to do that if it wasn't something she actually wanted to hear. And when it came to the boy Bella was sort of into as of late, Edward Cullen, Veronica made it painfully obvious as to how she felt about him.

For whatever reason, Veronica didn't like him. She tolerated his sister Alice and his brother Emmett, but that was about it. She tended to keep a wide berth of the Cullen family, like others did, Bella noticed lately, whenever she saw them at school or something.

"He just pulled your slow ass out of the way, Bella. Saying he saved your life makes it sound like the jerk took a bullet for you." Veronica said as she tossed her bookbag and her cheerleading uniform into the truck, in a space behind the seats and then slid in, buckling up.

" Umm, he did." Bella said solemnly as she got into the drivers side and started the truck.

"So.. We're going to First Beach, right?" Veronica asked, eyes begging. She was sick to death of going straight home after school in the afternoons. Forks was so small and boring, the only thing to actually do was to watch paint dry. But she had to go where Bella went for the moment, and the problem with that was Bella never actually wanted to go anywhere.

It really, really annoyed her.

"Yeah, I mean I thought about it. Jacob wanted us to come by. Said something about a Tribal Council meeting.. What the hell are you doing, Veronica?" Bella asked as she raised a brow at her sister who was wiggling out of jeans and pulling a pair of cut offs up her legs.

"Thought about going for a swim." Veronica said as she looked up and then said "What? You haven't changed in a vehicle before? Hello, how do you think I get out the door in the clothes I actually want to wear, huh? I change wherever I can."

"I'm not even gonna ask." Bella said as she shook her head and pulled out of the parking lot of Forks High, heading towards First Beach.

"We need music."

"I can't drive with noise. Are you seriously going to be annoying all afternoon?" Bella asked stiffly as Veronica shrugged and rolled her eyes. Bella sighed and said quietly, "Sorry, I'm just.. I'm still shaken up about a few days ago I guess? And Edward or his family weren't at school today."

"Maybe they thought the sun would melt them." Veronica joked. They were all really pale, she usually referred to them mentally as albinos who were possibly allergic to sun. Or more often, she jokingly called them vampires in her head.

It's not like she was being a rude bitch and blurting it out so they heard her so she figured no harm, no foul.

"Haha. Funny." Bella glared at her sister as she pulled into a parking spot near Angela and Eric and got out, walking over to talk to her friends. Veronica peered out the window and promptly grumbled to herself. Not a single person she actually knew or cared to talk to was actually here today.

Except for Jacob, but naturally when Bella appeared, he was stuck up her ass.

She sighed as she pulled on an oversized red and black flannel shirt over the cutoffs she wore and stretching, she got out of the truck.

_At least it was a pretty enough afternoon that she could hit the water without getting hypothermia_, she mused to herself as she wandered away from her sister and her sister's annoying friends, sat down at the edge of the beach with her arms around her knees.

Two guys ran past, one of them made a loud whooping noise almost like an Indian battle cry. She leaned back on her elbows, stared out at the water for a few moments before tilting her head back, just letting the sun warm her body.

The second her scent hit his nose, Embry froze. He turned slowly, looked just a little way up the beach and coughed a little, stared a lot, rubbed his hand over the back of his neck as he tried to figure out what to do... Did he walk over and talk to her?

_'Naturally, she's wearing little to no clothing' _he thought to himself for a few moments as Jared and Paul nudged him and then followed his intent gaze. Paul started to make a comment that might just get him punched and Jared looked around Embry to shake his head and mouthed, "Leave the poor guy alone. You know how shy he is, shit." to which Paul shrugged and nudged Embry, taunted him, "Go over and say something, stud."

"Say what, exactly?" Embry asked through gritted teeth. He'd love to walk over there and talk to her. Problem was that his feet were frozen in one spot. And his tongue felt like it was glued to the roof of his mouth. She looked up and dead at him for a moment.

"Uh oh.. Shorty is lookin." Paul taunted as Embry muttered "Paul?"

"Yeah?"

"Shut the hell up. Don't you have someone to annoy?" Embry asked as he found himself caught in green eyes. They were bright, lively.. Full of mischief.

She winked at him and he almost choked. _Yeah,_ he mused to himself internally, _she thinks I'm creepy. I mean I can't stop staring at her._

When he finally came around again, got out of his own head, she was looking upward towards the sky. He couldn't help but notice she had this blissful grin on her face too. It was beautiful.

"So go over there, man." Jared insisted as Embry finally muttered, "Fine.. But if she shoots me down."

"Like I said. Be yourself, okay? Even if that is a little moody and shy. Just try, damn. I know it's hard to hold back the animal side but.. You can't stand here terrified to talk to the poor girl either." Jared pointed out as he gave his friend a shove towards the girl his friend had imprinted on.

From behind him Paul mused, "Twenty bucks says he gets over there about halfway, chickens out and comes back over here. Come on man.. Enough babysitting the kid.. Let's go meet Sam at the cliff. I'm ready for my daily adrenaline rush."

"Don't you even care a little that Embry isn't exactly like us? I mean he's a lot more quiet, a lot less experienced with the ladies." Jared asked as Paul grumbled and the two males took a seat patiently waiting. After all, they were all a pack now.

That made them family, indirectly. And family helped family out.

She heard someone flop down on the sand nearby and then a guy said quietly, "Water is calm today." as she looked away from the sky and over at him. She bit her lower lip as she thought to herself _'Holy hell.. This man is beautiful.. He looks like one of those Indian warriors or something.. The hair and the eyes and..' _and promptly got momentarily sidetracked, so much so that she actually didn't say anything for a few minutes, just sat there, staring into those chocolatey brown eyes of his, entranced.

And earlier today, she'd called her older sister Bella an idiot for giving Edward Cullen creepy cow eyes all the time. Now here she sat doing the exact same thing. Which she quickly reasoned away mentally by explaining in her mind, _'But he's gorgeous, Veronica.. Who wouldn't give this guy creepy cow eyes?'_

She shielded her eyes from the blinding rays of the sun and fanned herself a moment then said quietly, "It is. And it's kinda warm out. I was actually thinking about going for a swim.. But my sister, she'd probably nag at me for that. I'm not allowed to even breathe the wrong damn way when she's in charge. Such a stick in the mud that one is." as she nodded in Bella and Jacob's direction and then asked him with a strange look, "Do I know you? Because I mean you look really, really familiar."

"My name's Embry.. I actually think that when I'd spend the day with Jacob and you guys were visiting, Billy would bring us over to play or something.." as he chuckled a little, sheepishly and raked his hand through his long hair. He hadn't cut it yet. He was on the fence about actually cutting it at the moment so for now he mostly just wore it down or in a ponytail which would've been great if strands would stop escaping the damn thing at random.

"Oh my god.. I do remember you.. I used to make you play house with me, actually." Veronica admitted as a deep red blush crept into her cheeks beneath her golden tan and she added almost immediately after, "I am so sorry for that too, I was a pain in the ass."

"It wasn't so bad." Embry muttered as he found it hard to stop staring into her eyes for a few moments. She moved closer to him and he felt his body tense up. He'd had a crush on her back then but now? It went beyond just your normal crush.

There was this physical attraction there.. And yes, the fact that she was linked to him via imprinting. And the poor guy currently was a bundle of horny teenage nerves.

"Really.. Hmm." Veronica teased gently as she stood, held out her hand. "Let's go walk or something. I get restless. Bella's over there and I have no desire to be around her or her friends seeing as how they annoy me.. C'mon.. It's not like I can get you into any serious trouble." she pleaded as he finally relented and let her pull him off the sand.

Or at least he let her think she had.


	4. Chapter 3 continued

**{ I hug you, lilsis, for your review. Like seriously, you have no idea. Soon as you suggested Embry, the story sort of took on a whole other level! I'm gonna go with Embry and I thank you forever for your compliments and your suggestion, I also thank you for taking the time to read my story too! And to my followers and favoriters too! Love you all}**

Chapter Four

later on in the day Bella goes to First Beach with Jacob and Veronica winds up hanging around with the pack.

_his eyes see right to my soul, i lose all control_

She tossed the oversized plaid shirt in his general direction and said with a nod towards the water, "I'm getting in." as he looked at her, gaped a moment. Was she seriously going to dive right in in her undies? _Apparently so_, he mused, because seconds later, her cut offs landed next to the shirt and she looked at him then laughed a few moments, shook her head quietly and took off at a run, splashing noisily into the water.

"Oh come on, Embry, seriously? Get your ass in here!" Veronica taunted as she surfaced a pretty good distance away from the shore. The sun beamed down on her wet skin and hair and he was sort of staring like an ass.. Again. From a few feet away, Paul taunted his friend in a feminine voice, "Yeah, Embry.. Get in." which made Embry give Paul a very dirty look.

Jared, however, was still laughing at what she'd done with her clothing and nudging Paul he mused aloud, "This.. Will be an interesting thing to watch unfold. Our boy is gonna have to come out of that shell he's in whether he wants or not."

"Mhmm. And I get the feeling she's going to drive the poor bastard nuts." Paul mused as the two sat watching Embry wading out towards Veronica, grumbling a little as he did so. The water felt good to him, it's just that he seriously wasn't sure why he was punishing himself like this.

Imprint or not, that didn't guarantee that he'd get the girl. He was shyer than most guys and he was 'too sweet' sometimes, to quote Kim, Jared's imprint.

He stood behind her in the water and she turned around, splashed him, laughed about it as she swam away. He chuckled and muttered to himself "So that's how it's gonna be, huh?" as he swam up to her, lifted her up which made her squeal.

Bella heard her little sister squealing and her head snapped up. And as soon as Jacob saw Embry with Veronica, he warned Bella, "Uley's minions. I mean I thought Embry was my best friend.. Now he's one of them." as Bella watched her sister with Embry Call and then mused aloud, "She had the biggest crush on him when we were all little."

Jacob chuckled and nodded. It had been a kind of obvious thing back then. They turned their attention back to their own personal conversation and he continued telling her the stories about the Cold Ones. Maybe if she heard what her new loverboy was and figured it out..

The thought went unfinished.

Down the beach, Embry laughed as Veronica glared up at him, hand in her hair. It was wet now, it'd fallen down too. She'd let it grow out longer than it had been when she was younger, even and the ends of it curled ever so slightly.

"That was not funny, damn it, Call. Why the fuck would you not warn me?" Veronica asked, her voice echoing, earning her a few strange looks from people who went to Forks High with her stick in the mud sister. She poked her tongue out at Jessica Stanley and nudged Embry as she nodded in Jessica's direction and said "That one.. She's got this face that's begging to be rearranged. She says she's Bella's best friend and she's trying to get into that disgusting creep my sister calls a boyfriend's pants. Funny thing is I don't even think Cullen likes her."

Just the name Cullen made Embry want to go find the guy and punch him. If they hadn't moved here from Alaska.. he wouldn't turn into a giant dog at will.

But he reminded himself that he'd have to thank the guy too.. Because if the Cullens had never shown up, he'd never have phased, he'd never have made imprint on Veronica.

"I hate him too. Something's off about the skeezy bastard." Veronica said as Embry nodded and thought to himself at the same time, _'You.. have no idea, baby girl.'_ while merely nodding.

Jared and Paul walked over and asked Embry casually, "Think Barbie Doll would dive off the cliffs with us? Sam said it was okay." as Embry looked at Veronica who was glaring at Paul and then said "Do you wanna cliff dive, Veronica?"

"Sure... I mean if I won't die or something." Veronica admitted as she looked at the cliffs, bit her lower lip.. She sprang up from the shoreline, where they'd been sitting and talking and then asked, "Well, boys.. Are we going or.."

"Let's go then." Paul and Jared smirked as Embry looked at Veronica and then held out her oversized plaid shirt. She took it and slipped it back on, then jogged to her sister's truck and chunked her boots and her cutoffs into her side of the truck, shut the door and took off to catch up.

"So.. Is this all there is to do around here, literally? I mean any house party worth a damn is broken up by the cops an hour in. Trust me. I had to hide the last time I snuck out, hid in poison ivy or something, I don't even know.. Bella, the twit laughed her ass off at my misery." Veronica chattered nervously.

She wasn't sure why but being around Embry made her feel this pleasant nervous energy.. It wasn't bad by any means. She actually kind of liked it, it made her feel alive.

Sam studied the girl and then gave Embry a warning look and Embry glared at Paul and Jared who obviously had not asked if Veronica could come cliff diving, only if Kim could. When Sam wasn't looking, Embry gave Paul a hard shove and Paul shrugged and laughed as he shoved back.

Veronica peered down cautiously.. "Okay, so... Who the hell is jumping with me?"

The three males looked up from their horseplay and promptly began to howl with laughter almost as Embry stopped when he saw her pouting and said quietly, "Sorry, it's just... I mean you're not afraid of heights.. Right?"

"You even have to ask that.. My pretend husband, boys.. And he has to ask me if I'm afraid of damn heights?" Veronica teased with a wink at Embry who she noticed was blushing as the other three males exchanged raised brows and Embry explained, "When we were little she used to force me to play house with her, okay, damn it?"

"Whatever you say, Embry.. But I didn't force you to do a damn thing." Veronica winked as she added with a teasing laugh, "He was such a good parent to my dolly too. But ask him to cook one damn thing in an easy bake oven? You're all fucked. It will burn."

The three males doubled over and Sam said casually, "Sam Uley."

"Veronica Swan."

Jared and Paul introduced themselves as they stopped laughing finally and then asked Veronica, "So you knew him too?"

"I think he and Jacob, this kid named Quil were the only people I knew, yes.. My dad was friends with Billy and Quil's dad. So Bella and I got to hang around here sometimes." Veronica mused as she looked up at the four males surrounding her and remarked, "You're all freaking giants."

"Not really. You're just a midget." Embry said as she gave him a dirty look and a covert middle finger then asked impatiently, "So are we gonna jump? I just wanna see how fast I can make Bella lose her shit. Everything I do is bad or wrong or dangerous.. God forbid anybody live a little."

"You love making her mad, don't you?" Embry blurted as Veronica nodded and then said casually, "Haven't I always though?" which made him laugh and nod in agreement.

So he'd managed to meet her face to face and it had went well.. Now how the hell was he supposed to tell her what he'd have to tell her eventually? And how would she react if and when he did tell her?


	5. Chapter 3 concluded

**{ I hug you, lilsis, for your review. Like seriously, you have no idea. Soon as you suggested Embry, the story sort of took on a whole other level! I'm gonna go with Embry and I thank you forever for your compliments and your suggestion, I also thank you for taking the time to read my story too! And to my followers and favoriters too! Love you all}**

Chapter Five

later on in the day Bella goes to First Beach with Jacob and Veronica winds up hanging around with the pack, Veronica hears the REAL story on the vampires, not the watered down version that Jacob tells Bella so he doesn't 'Scare her'.

_his eyes see right to my soul, i lose all control_

Veronica wasn't surprised when Bella blew her off to go for a walk alone with Jacob. Politely, Jacob had asked if she wanted to come with them, both himself and Bella expressing concern over her going anywhere near Sam Uley and the 3 other males she'd spent nearly all afternoon with, but Veronica declined.

As much as she disliked Bella's sort of being flirty towards their old friend Jacob when she supposedly 'loved' Edward, or thought she did, and as much as she'd love to have tagged along if for nothing more than to rub it in that smarmy son of a bitch Cullen's face first thing in the am, Veronica wanted more to spend time with her new friends.

For once in her life, people were choosing to want to be around her and not her big felt good to be wanted around and not viewed as an annoying pain in the ass who can't do anything right. So she was going to stay around her new friends, she'd decided.

"So.. You're cool with sitting through a tribal thing, right?" Embry asked her, catching her attention. She'd been sort of lost in her own thoughts until then, mostly about how her crush on him might not have actually ever faded at all, if the way she'd felt around him today was anything to go by, but when he asked her that she nodded and smiled a mischevious grin before asking, "Is there going to be food?"

"Yep."

"Consider me all yours for tonight then, pretend husband." Veronica flirted boldly as she stood, held out her hand. They'd been sitting on the beach, mostly talking about school and pretty much anything and everything that came into their minds for almost 2 hours now, so she was getting kind of hungry. Her stomach growling and quite loudly at that only illustrated that further.

"Hungry?" Embry asked her, a gentle and amused smile as he looked at her and thought to himself, _'She's the most beautiful girl I've ever seen. And I think that the imprint bond happened because of how I felt about her when we were kids. Not the other way around.' _and let her attempt pulling him up off the sand. They walked up the beach and Embry mentioned casually, "They're probably gonna tell tribe legends tonight.. Some of them are a little strange." as he looked at her and bit his lower lip a moment.

"Yeah. I mean I've heard one or two of them before though, so it's all good." Veronica reminded him as they came into view of the bonfire which was roaring, up pretty high by this point and when they reached the small gathering of people seated around it, took a seat on a fallen log someone had dragged over as a makeshift seat.

Sam gave Embry a warning look and Embry gave him a defiant shrug. He was keeping the secret, even though he hated hiding things. The least Sam could do, he saw it, was let him have a little slack. It wasn't like he'd ever intentionally hurt Veronica.

He'd die before he did that.

Or let anyone else do that to her.

Not everyone was going to make Sam's mistake. Not everyone would lose their temper and hurt or scar their imprint, Embry just felt that Sam should make more allowances and take each imprint made into consideration. For example, he lost it sometimes.. But he was better at control than say Paul, who couldn't even be around many without losing it and nearly wolfing out every damn time.

Or Jared on occasion.

"You okay, Embry?" Veronica asked when she happened to realize that Embry was staring into the roaring bonfire vacantly as if he had a lot on his mind. He nodded but thought to himself _'Just wondering how you're gonna react to finding out that the stories told tonight are true, that I am shapeshifter and I imprinted on you but I've maybe kinda loved you all along.. Other than that, baby girl? I'm fine.' _as he tried to focus on something that worried him less, something happier.

Old Quil cleared his throat, started to tell the stories they usually told at these things and Veronica listened intently, unknowingly snugging herself against the warmth that was her new friend (and childhood crush) Embry Call. She turned to him at one point and flashed him a cheeky mischevious grin as she moved onto his lap and leaned in, whispered "My ass fell asleep. Your lap is comfy. This is cool, yes?" as he coughed and bit his lower lip but nodded.

It was more than okay with him, but there was a little tension there. He couldn't tell if she were flirting with him or being friendly, because from what little he did know about her now, as opposed to back then, she was a little wilder, okay no, a lot wilder than she'd been when he knew her before.

And he just wasn't holding his breath for a girl to actually want to sit on his lap for any reasons other than a friendly one. He wasn't used to it. But his body was definitely reacting to her sitting in his lap, he shifted around a little and hoped to God she didn't notice as they continued to listen to Old Quil tell the stories.

_Something.. Something about the legends about Cold Ones.. Why's it make me think of that creepy pale ass skeeze Cullen? _Veronica wondered to herself thoughtfully as she leaned back a little, boldly flirting with Embry, and yes, she was well aware of it too.

He'd always been shy, one of them had to make a move. She just didn't realize what she was doing to him exactly, as she did this. But he bit his lip as her small curvy frame pressed almost perfectly against him and with a quiet laugh he asked her "Cold"

"Not really, no. You are just comfy." Veronica answered, an amused and flirty smirk on her face as she dug through her pocket, scowled when she realized that yes, her sister just texted. Scowling, she texted Bella back and said aloud, "Figures the fun police would check in."

"Have to go already, Blondie?" Paul asked in amusement. It was so funny, really, watching how Embry was reacting to Veronica's obvious flirting. Poor guy had not a clue what to do when it came to girls, he kept to himself way too much.

Jared nudged Paul because he noticed Embry was getting a little angry at Paul. No sense in Paul pushing and making Embry wolf out, freaking Veronica out before the poor kid got a chance to tell her on his own time and in his own way.

"Sadly, yes. Thanks for putting up with me you guys." Veronica said as she looked at Embry and stood. Embry stood, and Veronica hugged him before turning to Old Quil and Sam, the other older men at the bonfire and saying politely, "I loved hearing the stories again. Maybe I can come back later when fun police isn't on my ass, huh?" as the males chuckled, Embry walking her back down the beach to where her sister stood, obviously in deep thought.

"Okay, here I am."

"Let's get home. It's getting dark." Bella said in a distracted tone as she thought about what Jacob told her, the stories about the Cold Ones.. Why did it make her think of Edward? She plastered her best normal face on and she and her sister got into the truck, headed home. Neither of them, Bella noticed, said much on the drive home.

"So.. You and Embry are just gonna pick right back up, huh?" Bella asked finally, mostly to break the silence.

"Why? You wanna try and steal him too, Bella?" Veronica asked stiffly Bella gave her a look and she explained, "Remember when we came for a visit and I liked Jacob? What happened there, huh? That's what I thought." before going silent again.

Bella grumbled. Veronica obviously blamed her for pretty much everything wrong in her life. Sometimes it hurt, more often than not though, it ticked her off.

"That's not.. Why do you evne think that?"

"Because, Bella, it's true. I disappear around you. But hey, I'm fine with it now. Do your thing and I'll do mine. How'd it go with Jacob tonight?"

"It went okay, I guess.. I mean I think he was trying to tell me something, warn me about Edward? I don't know, that's just the impression I got."

"You should probably listen, Bella, the guy's a fucking stalker. Hello, he was in your room two nights ago, watching you sleep when you woke up.. But hey.. You're the good girl, it's not like anything would ever transpire because you don't have the guts either way."

"And you do?"

"I'll have you to know, I fully intend to make Embry mine." Veronica asserted as she got out of the truck and walked into the house, went into her room. The less she had to be around her sister the better off she always felt.


	6. Chapter 4

**{ I wanted to take the time to thank all three of my reviewers. There will be bella bashing, but this is primarily an alternate to twilight, so the emphasis is on the oc and the shifters, my embry because I love him sooo much. For those that voted Embry, i love you all. I just think that was the perfect direction for this story. I forewarn you though, lots of sap and fluff in store.. As well as some heavy bashing, alternate plot twists and drama. Because, damn it, a story is not a story without drama. Anyway, i love you all, everyone who has reviewed, followed and favorited. you're amazing.**

**Tonight, though, since I am in a bit of a sexy mood.. embry and veronica's first kiss. maybe it wasn't too soon and hopefully it doesn't suck.. i meant for it to be kinda sexyish? anyway, yeah. their first kiss.}**

Chapter Six

about 2 weeks later. Sam has prohibited Embry from too much contact with Veronica.

_It's like I can't breathe  
>Without you inside of me<em>

She'd seen him with Jared and Paul, of course, Sam Uley was there so he said nothing to her. It was one thing to text her and call her every single night being this sweet guy that she was falling fast and hard for, had fallen fast and hard for, but to blow her off when she asked if he was busy was quite another. Especially when he had time to hang out with his boys.

They were only friends but the fact remained.. Right now Veronica was confused beyond confusion. And her sister rubbing in the happy little thing she had going with Edward the prince of skeezes, well.. Veronica was in a mood lately. He'd texted her, just now, Embry had, and he'd asked her what she was up to, " What's up?".

She'd yet to answer the text. It was about time that he learned that she didn't like people who presented themselves one way initially but quickly turned to another when their 'boys' were around. She'd dumped guys for this very reason before.

She stood on the shoreline, she knew full well he could see her from the cliffs, apparently the guys were cliff diving today and he hadn't thought she might want to hang out.

_'I know it's bratty and stupid but I just want him. I mean I can't even think of anything without him being a part of it. It's kinda always been that way for me and I just thought.. That night at the bonfire..' _she thought to herself as a sigh escaped her lips and she stared upward, towards the opposite end of the beach where her sister and her sisters friends were all laughing, talking, having a great time.. She bit her lower lip and rolled her eyes. The jerk, Edward, was with Bella today.

Veronica had actually caught a ride over with Mike Newton, who while not being Embry wasn't a totally bad guy. He was goofy, sweet in that cocky and annoying way. He tried too damn hard, really and even though it annoyed Veronica, Mike was a close friend of hers and he was the one who'd actually cared enough to point out that nothing was worth moping over.

She agreed. And she'd never claimed to be moping.. But something must have been off with her because for the better part of almost a week and a half now, she'd been moody as hell and her father, Bella and a few others were evidently noticing.

Jacob Black had even commented on it when she'd bumped into him while out picking up a few movies to watch on Friday night after the football game. He'd actually offered to take her to the dance everyone was apparently going to, but she'd told him she didn't feel like it.

She really hadn't and school dances were usually lame to begin with. Parties were more fun.

"Are you staring at the water, Vivi, or are you getting in at some point?" Mike asked in amusement as she turned to look at him. Her gaze lingered a few moments and she bit her lower lip before shrugging and muttering "What the hell." as she peeled off her t shirt and the jeans she wore. He gaped at her, he hadn't been expecting her to take him up on the playful remark. He moved forward to stop her, she was his best female friend, it wasn't like he wanted her to drown or something.

She rolled her eyes as she heard Bella and Bella's idiot loverboy calling her name from up the beach. The waves and the water were choppy today, but nothing like that ever stopped Veronica when she had a point to prove before.

She gave the cliffs above the beach one last gaze and shrugged, hurt. Jacob walked over and nudged Mike, asked what was going on before going to Veronica and pointing out sternly, "He didn't mean... You shouldn't, the water is too.." as Veronica turned to him and said with a smirk, "Then he shouldn't dare me to do something he's not going to do.. What about you though?.. Are you a pussy or are you gonna get in too? I mean c'mon.. You keep sniffing around that braindead bitch I call a sister,hinting that Cullen isn't good for her, I mean it's obvious you want her and she's never going to notice you.. And the guy I want? He's obviously not interested in me, not even a little."

She ventured closer to him, playful smirk on her face as he looked at her and shook his head, laughed a little as he peeled off the white t shirt he wore and then his jeans and sneakers. "Someone's gotta save your ass." while mentally reminding himself, _' .Idea. Embry's like.. he's always been in love with her. He's texting her all the time, and you heard him talking about her at lunch earlier. He's just too busy being stuck up Uley's ass these days.'_

Mike snickered and then muttered to himself "What the fuckin hell.. If you can't beat 'em, I suppose, join 'em." before stripping down to his boxers also and the three of them took off for the water. Jacob picked Veronica up easily and the two hit the icy cold and choppy water, Veronica screaming "FUCK ME" at the top of her lungs just as a small but not too small in size wave washed right over her.

She got sucked back down and quickly Jacob and Mike grabbed hold of her, Mike glaring at Jacob because he'd been the one to encourage this and Mike had been just about to insist (and use force if he had to) to carry her away from the water.

Jacob glared back. Mike was just playing the good guy, the best guy friend to make himself look better in Bella's eyes, Jacob wasn't an idiot. Jacob was in truth more like a big brother to Veronica and he hadn't been planning on letting a damn thing happen to her.

Especially not with the threat of a stronger Embry lurking. Embry had gotten stronger lately, he'd seen him have some sort of angry rage episode just because Jacob, according to him, spent entirely too much time around Bella and Veronica.

He'd never seen a switch flip as fast as it had in Embry that afternoon and he wondered if Uley wasn't giving the guys that ran with him steroids or something to make them go into rages like Embry had.

They two hadn't spoken since, either.

Up on the cliffs, Embry watched his imprint swimming in nothing but her bra and panties with a guy he thought was his best friend and Mike Newton, a guy he personally hated for a few different reasons. He grumbled and flopped down, sat on the edge of the cliff. When Sam left, Paul walked over, sat down on one side of him, Jared on the other as Paul nodded to the three down on the beach below.

"Go down there, man.. Jared and I will cover."

"It's obvious, guys, she's furious with me.. I mean thanks to Sam being a dick now, I have to stay clear of her. Jacob did what he did on purpose." Embry mused as Paul shook his head and said "Jacob Black might be a jerk but he didn't know what he said that day was going to make you lose it. You can't tell anyone, remember? Which becomes a problem when they don't know they're pushing buttons when they do."

"Careful, Paul.. You're starting to sound smart." Jared joked as Paul sent a lazy punch over Embry and to his friends shoulder on teh other side as jared added, "But he's right, Embry. Jacob doesn't know.. Yet.. But he'll phase too, I mean Billy did."

"Until then though, I'd fucking appreciate it if he'd stay the fuck away from Veronica.. I mean he did this around her even as kids. And she flirts back too easily. It's like a reflex with her." Embry muttered darkly as Paul chuckled and said in a mocking tone, "Careful, Embry.. Now you're starting to sound like me."

"It just pisses me off is all.. It always has. I know he doesn't do it to be a dick or to try and take her or something, I just.. He always has done this." Embry grumbled as he shook his head, stared down onto the beach at the three swimming.

"So go down there.. Sam had to go home, he won't be back for a while. And he's not gonna know if we don't tell him, dumbass." Paul insisted as jared nodded in agreement and said "We're a pack now, man.. We gotta stick together. And we do this well."

"We do, don't we?"

Embry stood and dusted off his jeans, walked down the pathway that lead down to the waterfront where Veronica was just as Jacob walked past, heading home. "Did you finally decide to drag your ass away from Uley and his minions?"

"Fuck you, Jacob. Did you not get a damn thing I said, about her?"

"She's just my friend, Embry. Maybe if you opened your fucking eyes you'd see that." Jacob said as he looked at his friend with a raised brow before shoving past, walking back towards his house. He'd stopped Veronica from getting in over her head, she wasn't really a strong swimmer, that's all that mattered to him.

Maybe Embry would finally fix it.

Veronica sat on the beach now, soaked and shivering. Bella called her name but she ignored her sister. She hated being around her enough without having to see Edward the douchebag with the perfect hair. She'd really rather not be around both of them.

She'd probably get the mother of all bitching outs when they made it home this afternoon for stripping on the beach but she didn't much care right now. Instead, she had her eyes fixed on the water, biting her lower lip intently as Kelly Clarkson played from her cell phone and she sang along to the song Addicted.

Mentally, it was a song that fit the way she felt about Embry Call but she'd die a thousand slow, messy and painful deaths before she admitted this. especially since he'd been avoiding her for a while now.

Especially when he acted one way in private, a total other one in public.

The tap to her shoulder had her jumping, swearing a little and she turned around, came face to face with Embry who didn't look amused at all currently and was holding out his tanktop.

"Put it on."

"You're going to make me?" Veronica snapped as a hurt look brewed in her eyes. She bit her lower lip and looked at him, defiantly crossing her arms.

"I can." Embry muttered quietly, jealousy washing over him as he thought about seeing her just now being picked up and dunked in the water by Jacob.. And then again by Mike.

Did she have to flirt with guys?

She gaped at him and then started to laugh as she said calmly, "I'd really, really pay to see that one, Call." as she eyed him, her eyes drifting over his body slowly. He smirked a little and then said quietly, "So this is how you wanna do it?" as he leaned in a little, slid the tanktop down and into place.

The smell of his cologne drove her nuts. But she kept a poker face as she peeled the tanktop right back off and said stiffly, "I have clothes."

"So put them on."

"Not gonna happen."

He grumbled and took a few deep breaths. He had to control this situation somehow, figure out what was eating her today, why she looked so upset just now. He hated that he might have potentially done something to hurt her.

He hated worse than anything that he couldn't just tell her already.

"Are you mad at me?" he asked finally, at a loss as to what to do.

"No, actually, I'm not. But I'm also not stupid. I'm not gonna deal with you acting one way when we're alone or you're calling and texting, flirting with me. But then when you're around Sam you totally ignore me if we happen to see each other. I'm not some weak and stupid little girl, damn it. I mean I thought we were friends. And why the hell are you down here on my ass to begin with? I mean I asked you to come meet me. You said you couldn't.. And then you show up with them. If you don't wanna hang out, fine.. But don't get furious when Jacob and Mike actually do." Veronica explained curtly as she gave him a defiant glare when he held out her clothes again.

He was almost acting like a jealous lover and not just a friend who only wanted to be friends in secret.

It oddly enough, turned her on and excited her, even as it made her mad as hell.

Embry considered her words. _'You can find a way around Sam's bullshit rule. Think, damn it. This is the proof that you wanted about the imprint taking and sticking. This is proof that she wants you, man.. because she's furious right now and hurting. You don't have to tell her what you are yet.. But you can find a way to be around her because admit it.. Not being around her is driving you insane.' _he thought to himself as he leaned back, rested his weight on the palms of his hands.

"You're right." he said finally as she turned to look at him and he continued, " I've kind of been avoiding you, Veronica, for a reason.. I can't just keep being your friend, damn it.."

She licked her lips. They were tingling for whatever reason. Maybe it was the way that he was staring at them right now as if he were debating on something. She snapped her fingers in front of his face and asked, "What the hell? And why the fuck not, huh?"

"Because, Veronica.. I want you." Embry replied as he dropped his gaze and waited on her to get up, walk away laughing. Instead, she grumbled and stood, started to pace, every now and then she'd stop and kick at sand or something.

He sat watching her with a raised brow. She'd never handled things like this well, if you sprang something on her she never took it right off the bat.

She turned to face him and then said quietly, "Okay.. So what's the deal with blowing me off for Uley then? I mean does he just own you now or something?"

_'Bastard thinks he does' _Embry thought to himself as he shook his head and stood, walking slowly towards where she stood, steeling his nerve.

"No, he doesn't. And like I said, you were right. I was being a jerk." Embry said as he stood barely inches away from her, stared her down intently and then added, "But I told you why.. Now.. Are you going to put your damn clothes back on or not?"

His voice came out commanding, firm. It made her blink and she felt this bizarre heated blush creeping over all of her body as she stared up into his eyes. Even the look in them was commanding.. And again she found herself oddly turned on by the show of hand just now.

It wasn't something she'd normally associate with Embry.

It was different. Edgy.

It drove her crazy.

"Fine." she pouted as she slid on her shorts and then pulled her shirt back on. He moved closer, brushed her hair behind her ear. It sent a tingle down her body when his super hot hand touched her cool and wet skin. Biting her lower lip she looked up at him and asked "Better?"

_'If you mean do I not want to snap every other guy on this beach's neck right now then yes. I was enjoying the view. Not so much enjoying what the other guys were seeing.' _he thought to himself as he forced himself to nod and said quietly, "Much."

She moved closer and then asked in concern, "Are you okay? You're like a thousand degrees.." as she held his gaze. She'd never actually noticed it before but his eyes were this sort of molten chocolate brown, warm, inviting. His chest brushed against her chest and she blinked. They'd migrated close enough that if either of them spoke by this point, their lips would brush almost.. If she stood on tiptoe, of course.

"I'm fine. Probably just a guy thing. We are always warmer than girls." Embry lied. He hated this part, lying to her. It was then that he made up his mind.. he might not be able to tell her what he was now, what she was to him.. But he could sneak around when not on patrol somehow and be around her. Because going without being around her was hell.

And by now, his theory about his situation regaring the imprint was almost certainly proven. He'd always had this thing for her.. The imprint happened because he'd always pictured her as his ideal. he'd always been drawn to her. And now, with his having imprinted her, it amplified everything he'd already felt a thousand times over.

"Yeah but no.. God, and Tiffany let you out burning up?" Veronica asked, a rare moment of 'caretaker' urges coming to surface as she grabbed his hand and started to attempt dragging him towards the path that lead off the beach. "Where are we going?"

"We are going to my fathers house. And you are going to fucking lie down or something. I don't see how you don't have a fried brain right now, really.. I mean you're burning up." Veronica insisted as she looked up at him, concerned.

"I'm fine."

"Bullshit."

"Okay, fine. But I'm telling you. Guys are hotter than girls in body temperature." Embry persisted, falling silent when he realized that she was ignoring him. Instead, he fell into step beside her, let her lead him to her father's house. The walk wasn't that bad, he got a lot of time to talk to her, they did manage to straighten a few things out and he explained that he'd been helping Sam and the other two members of his pack with something which wasn't totally a lie.

He told her that this afternoon, he'd actually come to the beach because Sam had him busy, but he wanted to see her so badly that he decided to kind of spy. And he also laid it all out there and admitted that when she went into flirt mode it sort of made him jealous.

Veronica listened and when he finished she said quietly, "You have absolutely nothing to worry about.. Jacob is just a friend. He was probably trying to make sure that I didn't pull a typical of me move and fuck up, get hurt or something swimming earlier. Mike I wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole like that. I kinda have a type." as she gently shoved him back down onto her father's couch and smirked before sliding on his lap and muttering, "And when I want something I'll do pretty much anything it takes to make it finally freaking happen.. Case in point, this afternoon, Embry, was designed to make you jealous."

She licked her lips and took a deep breath before leaning in even more, resting one hand on the nape of his neck, using it to pull his lips against her lips while the other hand went to his hair, raked through it. He growled a little, parted her lips with his tongue greedily. The animal was taking over for the moment and it was amazing. His heart was racing, he couldn't breathe and he wanted more.

The kiss broke and he glared at her before muttering, "You still didn't have to dive in in your underwear and bra, in front of those two horny bastards." and licking his lips. They tingled. Her lips, he noticed were red and swollen sort of. The thought of why made him smirk just a little when she wasn't watching.

Veronica needed to collect herself. That kiss just now went beyond her wildest imagination almost. She'd wondered now and then since she'd reacquainted herself with Embry, what it'd be like to kiss him like she just had. And now she had proof.

Her knees were weak. Her pulse raced and her blood boiled. Her lips tingled and she could still feel the way his lips had nipped at them hungrily just now. To think that her shy and sweet, slightly goofy former childhood crush and recent best guy friend that she'd managed to fall for could kiss l**ike that**...

"Are you okay?" Embry asked with a chuckle as she gaped at him a little, shrugged and managed finally, "I'm good.. Just needed a few seconds, okay? Damn.."

"What?"

"You are a very, very talented kisser. I definitely see myself becoming addicted to that in the near future." Veronica asserted as she leaned against him lightly. from the way she was positioned in his lap, she could feel his heart thumping rapidly against his own chest and she smiled, trailed her finger slowly along his lower lip while pressing her forehead against his.

Things were still mixed up, but she had this feeling that she had no worries.. She was finally going to get him all to herself. What she'd intended all along.

"You say I am.. Veronica.." he muttered as he stared up into her eyes and added, "That was an amazing kiss." as she shrugged casually and gave him a teasing wink before sliding off of his lap and walking into the kitchen. She emerged seconds later with a cold wet rag, held it out to him. "Before we go trying to raise that temperature again, Mr. Call.. The nurse thinks you should rest."

"The nurse, huh?" Embry muttered as she winked at him and then gently shoved him back onto the couch and said firmly, "Damn it, Embry, just lay there with the rag on your forehead. I couldn't find anything that might lower your temperature."

"Seeing red will do that to a guy." he mused thoughtfully as he pulled her down next to him carefully. "I'll rest, nurse.. But on one condition. You're not going anywhere."

Bella grumbled when she walked in the living room of her father's house and saw Embry and Veronica asleep on the couch. On the one hand, it was good.. meant she'd leave Jacob alone.. On the other hand, she was concerned.. If what Jacob said about Embry and being a member of Sam Uley's supposed cult was true...

She shook her head. It wasn't her problem.. She had much bigger ones of her own currently.. She'd just recently started to figure out what Edward, her boyfriend, just might be.. And now she was struggling with how to confront him about it, ludicrious as it might seem.


	7. Chapter 4, concluded

**{ I wanted to take the time to thank all three of my reviewers. There will be bella bashing, but this is primarily an alternate to twilight, so the emphasis is on the oc and the shifters, my embry because I love him sooo much. For those that voted Embry, i love you all. I just think that was the perfect direction for this story. I forewarn you though, lots of sap and fluff in store.. As well as some heavy bashing, alternate plot twists and drama. Because, damn it, a story is not a story without drama. Anyway, i love you all, everyone who has reviewed, followed and favorited. you're amazing.**

**Tonight, though, since I am STILL in a bit of a sexy mood.. embry and veronica's first kiss. maybe it wasn't too soon and hopefully it doesn't suck.. i meant for it to be kinda sexyish? anyway, yeah. their first kiss. }**

Chapter Seven

later that night, aftermath of their first kiss.

_It's like I can't breathe  
>Without you inside of me<em>

His arm felt like a chunk of lead when he went to sit up. Something, no someone was lying on top of it. He dug into the pockets of his jeans and fished out his cell phone, pushed the button to make it light up and the dim light revealed that not only was he not in his room at home, but he had apparently fallen asleep with Veronica smooshed as close to him as humanly possible a few hours ago. In the den of Officer Swan's house.

He raked his hand through his hair slowly as he pondered this and then he remembered the kiss, the way she'd just basically taken what she wanted. She'd admitted that seeing her with Jacob and Mike this afternoon had been to make him jealous

Not because she WANTED either of the other two males, but to make HIM jealous. And it'd worked. She'd driven him crazy when he'd seen her strip down and dive into the water, watched Jacob and Mike flirting with her from his viewpoint up on the cliffs. If he could've murdered Jacob earlier and gotten away with it, he probably would have. But now, a few hours later, he didn't really care.

She'd fallen asleep in his arms. Her petite and curvy body snugged against him almost too perfectly, it really had a knee jerk effect on him when he woke up and discovered what was going on. His eyes darted around the room, he noticed the time on the clock on the DVR in Charlie's entertainment center and begrudgingly, he poked her awake.

He didn't want to wake her up, he didn't want this whole thing to end. What if she woke up and she'd had enough time to change her mind, decide that the kiss earlier was a huge mistake? She grumbled and rolled over instead of waking up. Her leg went over his hip and her face buried in his shirt as she muttered "Go back to sleep, Embry.. We'll tell them we're having a friendly sleepover." not genuinely interested in moving or having him move.

His fingers danced along her bare legs, tickling her awake and she finally opened her eyes to look at him, give him a dirty look. She'd never actually liked being woken up for any reason. He definitely remembered Jacob or Bella, one or the other, being punched or having a plastic tiara thrown at them when they tried to mess with her while she slept on more than one occasion, actually.

"Okay, Embry, you got me awake. Now make it worth my while." Veronica purred as she sat up and leaned over him. It was shockingly obvious to him that she hadn't forgotten the kiss earlier, or what she'd admitted her intent was to do what she'd done, flirting with Jacob and Mike to make him jealous.

He chuckled and his hand rested flat across her lower back, his fingers trailing lazily over the skin just beneath the t shirt she was wearing. He looked up into her eyes and then said quietly, "You sure you want me to do that?" as she leaned down, pulled his lips against hers, nipped at his lower lip and muttered breathlessly against his lips, "What do you think?"

"Spunky. I like that." Embry laughed a little as he kissed back, careful not to make too many movements or too much noise. Last thing he wanted was her annoying as fuck older sister walking in on them kissing in the living room in the dark at almost thirty minutes after midnight. Or her father. Neither of those potential interruptions really appealed to him, so he was doing his best not to make too much noise.

"I bet you do." she muttered as she placed her handto his forehead and winced in concern when once again he still felt like a human heater. "Damn it. I hoped that rag and cold water would help."

"Hey.. Shh.. Its okay." Embry muttered as he held his index finger over her lips, used his other hand to rake slowly through her hair and held her gaze before adding, "I'm not sick or dying or anything. It's like i said.. Guys are hotter than girls." in a firm tone. She nodded, but she was wary, he could tell she didn't believe him and he didn't blame her and also, he felt guilty for having to keep his secret from her for now.

The scent of leech assaulted his nose and he blurted "Cullen must be upstairs." in an annoyed tone as Veronica gave him a strange look and then muttered quietly, "And she says I'm the fucked up one. The guy breaks in here to watch her sleep.. She has no problem with it. Yet she has to let me into my damn bedroom window once or twice and she acts like I'm heading straight for hell.. And good God let's just both hope she doesn't come down here and see you still here." Veronica blurted as Embry held his finger to her lips and leaned in, captured her lips in a frenzied kiss.

He wound up pulling her into his lap and dragging his fingers slowly through her long blonde hair as he looked up at her and whispered, " I should get going."

"No, you don't have to."

"My mom will kick my ass if she finds my bed empty, babe." Embry muttered as he held her gaze and licked his tingling lips. The intensity of their kisses was enough to make his lips feel bruised in that really, really good sort of way. He liked it, someone wanted him that much that she couldn't actually control herself around him.

For once it wasn't Jacob or Paul or Jared or even Quil.. It was him.

Nobody else.

"Yeah, yeah, I know, I just.. I get kinda freaked out, lying there knowing that fucking creepy douchebag is just sitting there, in the dark, in my sisters room. I mean if I tell dad he'll never believe me. She's the good daughter, I'm the bad one, remember?" Veronica said quietly as Embry leaned up, pressed his forehead against hers and said quietly, "If he even thinks about touching you, Veronica, he will not like the outcome."

"Mmm.. I think I kinda like this side of you. I mean I've always sort of thought you had it in you but.. To actually see it." Veronica admitted with a mischevious giggle as he shrugged and thought to himself, _'It's an animal thing, baby girl. It'll make sense when I have to tell you. I just hope to God I don't lose you when that happens.' _before reluctantly standing, pulling her off the couch too and carrying her out the door with him. He sat her on the rail of the small porch area in front of the front door and she giggled as her lips brushed his neck when she cuddled against him to block the slightly cool night air and the wind that blew.

He pulled her against him completely and tilted her chin up so that he could look into her eyes as he said with a shrug, "Tomorrow.. If Sams being a dick and I can't get away for a while.. We can meet at the beach... I mean if you want to see me.." while looking at her, nervously.

"I'll be there. Alone." Veronica muttered as she pulled his lips against hers one last time and then watched him as he jogged towards the woods, disappeared into the trees. She darted quickly back inside the house, her heart was racing, her pulse was pounding and her legs felt like jello as she ran up the stairs and into her own room.

She heard them whispering in Bella's room and for once she didn't bother letting it concern her. She really couldn't say a damn thing tonight, even if she wanted to because technically, Embry had fallen asleep on the couch downstairs with her in his arms. And Bella would no doubt use that if she had to, if Veronica even tried to tell Charlie what Bella did every night, letting that jerk Cullen into the house. Or leaving a window open so that he could come and go.


	8. Chapter 5

**{ I wanted to take the time to thank all three of my reviewers. There will be bella bashing, but this is primarily an alternate to twilight, so the emphasis is on the oc and the shifters, my embry because I love him sooo much. For those that voted Embry, i love you all. I just think that was the perfect direction for this story. I forewarn you though, lots of sap and fluff in store.. As well as some heavy bashing, alternate plot twists and drama. Because, damn it, a story is not a story without drama. Anyway, i love you all, everyone who has reviewed, followed and favorited. you're amazing.****}**

Chapter Eight

a few days later; they're meeting on First Beach, they've been having to sneak around to see each other thanks to Sam's rule and Veronica has started to notice odd things..

_It's like I can't breathe  
>Without you inside of me<em>

The sun was going down. He'd just texted her and told her that he'd had to practically lie to Uley for whatever reason to get away which made no actual sense to Veronica, but she didn't ask, because she'd really much rather ask him in person just why in the hell Sam Uley had such a hold on him and what he was doing when he'd go off for hours to help the guy.

Also, he'd made a remark the night before, somehow he'd known Edward the skeeze was in her father's house. She'd put it off then, her sleep addled affectionate brain had been too busy processing having Embry all to herself at long last to process it then.. But seeing Edward and his family at school earlier, seeing Bella with them, well.. It bought the statement back.

How the hell had he known at the time, that Edward was in her father's house? Neither of them had been upstairs last night as best as she remembered. And Edward never used the front door, heaven forbid the guy act like a normal 18 year old guy and use the front door to enter anywhere, but.. Still, how had Embry somehow known Edward was there?

Something, a few somethings actually, kept nagging at her. They had been since the night she'd sort of crashed a tribal thing with Embry and heard a retelling of the tribe's legends. Something about the legend of the shapeshifter kept triggering thoughts of her Embry.

She laughed it off as she continued to pace the beach barefoot, her hand in her long and thick blonde hair. When his arms slid around her waist, she turned to look at him and then remarked with a smirk, "It's about time. What is Uley's deal, though?"

Embry stalled.. She stared up at him, concerned and wary look in her eyes. He got a bad feeling in his stomach and he bit his lower lip as he said quietly, "He just wants me and the guys to help him.." while looking at her. Veronica, however, if memory served, was not the kind of girl who appreciated a lie or a vague answer. She'd always been slightly impatient like that.

And his stomach churned. Because it was still too soon to let her in on the secret but God did he want to. It was as hard as the lies he had to tell his mother when she'd find his bed empty every night and take it out on him or something in the morning. For the shy male, he figured going into quiet and shut down mode was probably the best way to handle things.

It worked for his mother, after all, well, it worked as good as could be managed. For now, that's all he wanted. Just take it in silence, really, that was all he could do. Because he wasn't telling her his secret, even though Sam had already told him he could tell his mother.

He was not about to tell her and compromise her safety, or the safety of the tribe, the legend. It was too important. Of course, sooner or later, he planned on telling her, when the danger wasn't a danger anymore, when it was a moot point, when he KNEW nothing bad could happen to her as a result and she'd understand why he was gone all night almost and nearly every single night at that, explaining as gently as he could. He was scared that his mother would freak out totally when the day came, but he figured he would worry about that when he did decided to finally tell her.

He kind of **had to tell** Veronica, however, because she was his imprint. And he had had this thing for her practically since they'd been babies. He'd always known her, he'd always thought in the depths of his mind that one day, he'd make a move.

Or, as it happened, she beat him to it. She wasn't known for beating around the bush though. If she wanted something, nine times outta ten, she went for it, damn the consequences. She was free spirited and feisty like that.

"You keep saying that, Embry, but I don't get with what?" Veronica mused as she held his gaze intently. She just knew there was more, he wasn't telling her. And while she wasn't going to drag it out of him just yet, she was going to be wary of anything he did concerning Sam Uley.

She began to pace and she stopped when he stopped her and asked quietly, "What else is wrong?" while holding her gaze intently. She bit her lower lip as she looked up at him and shook her head, said quietly, "It's.. It's nothing.. I mean maybe I just misunderstood the whole thing. I was half asleep."

"What?"

"You knew Edward was in the house. You hadn't been upstairs... I mean I was asleep but I didn't feel you move. And it's not the first time you've managed to know he was there.." Veronica said quietly as Embry steeled his nerve and slapped his best poker face on then lied. As much as he hated doing it, he lied through his teeth. He hated doing that, especially with her or his mother. And lately, it seemed like that was what he spent ninety nine percent of his time doing.

"I did, actually.. I got up to go use the bathroom and I heard him talking to her or something." he said as Veronica studied him intently. Something about it didn't add up but she didn't want to fight with him. Not when she'd finally gotten him where she wanted him, not after all this time.

"Okay.. I mean I didn't feel you move but I might have been in a deep sleep too. I was really, really tired." she admitted. There was a possibility that yes, he had gotten up to take a piss and overhead the creepy douchebag her sister was dating in her sister's room.

His arms slid around her, his chin rested on her shoulder and she looked over her shoulder at him and said quietly, "Sorry, it's just.. It's been a weird day.. I was sitting in math earlier and I could've sworn I saw this guy standing outside the window? He had this long blond hair and red eyes.. I mean I did watch that weird horror movie last night.. maybe I was daydreaming?" while biting her lower lip nervously. "And someone got attacked, died in the hospital.. Some of the girls I know in Bio were saying that it was like all their blood was missing?"

Embry's entire body tensed up as he recognized the description.. The vampire she spoke of was named James.. And he was traveling in a group of three, his mate Victoria and another man named Laurent.. They'd been spotted in the woods outside of La Push, they'd been basically just feeding at will.

To know James even looked at his imprint made an anger unlike any other he'd ever known surge forward. And he understood what Sam meant about having to learn better self control then in that exact moment. He held her tightly against him, breathed into her hair as he said in his best convincing tone, "Maybe you were. Horror movies always had the weirdest effect on you. And those girls were probably just trying to scare you, saying all that.." while he inwardly raged at himself for having to lie to her, having to keep up this ridiculous charade even a second longer.

The smell of leech tickled his nose and his entire nervous system went into high alert as his eyes darted around the beach, towards the walking trail and upward, towards the cliffs.. He saw the group of three standing there, watching them, hell watching everyone on First Beach today. Right now, the safest place for his imprint, he felt, was far away from the beach. He noted the way James held his gaze and smirked. He'd pay the jerk back when he finally got hands on him. He'd always loved Veronica in his own way, now that he was bound to her, he was going to do whatever it took to protect her..

"We need to go." he said firmly as Veronica looked up at him and asked, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah.. I just.. I'm gonna ditch Sam and the guys tonight, okay? We'll go back to your fathers, watch movies or something. I'd really rather just be with you." he said as he mentally made a note to tell Sam the pack of 3 rogue vampires was getting braver, tell him where he'd seen them at today.

Veronica smiled. She sensed there was more to his decision to leave than he was letting on but she let it go for the moment. She had him to herself for an afternoon, finally, that's all she cared about.


End file.
